


Take Care, Senpai

by flaminmellows



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25032433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flaminmellows/pseuds/flaminmellows
Summary: Farewells are never easy. But sometimes they are better than nothing at all.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Persona 5 Protagonist/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

A young man with disheveled hair and rounded glasses sighed as he turned the corner, stopping dead in his tracks and staring down what had become a familiar side street. Pedestrians wandered its length, some stopping by the convenience store before it closed for the evening, others slipping into the local theater to catch the six o'clock showing of _The Cake Knight Rises: Director's Cut._ The orange light of a slowly setting sun bathed the walkway in a warm, comforting hue. The boy absorbed the scene before him, before it was gone. But the cool breeze of a spring evening whipped through the alleyway, biting at exposed skin and reminding him that it was time to move on.

He tugged the collar of his jacket a bit tighter.

_Time to move on._

Jamming his hands into his pockets, he stepped forward into the alley, the sound of traffic from the connecting street dulling with each stride. It was replaced with the meowing of neighborhood cats as their nightly escapades began. Replaced by the chatter of older customers as they left the convenience store, lamenting the increase in egg prices or gossiping about the state of the current prime minister. Replaced by the distant pinging sound of aluminum connecting with hard-flung, leather-bound balls. At one point and time, the odd cacophony had been jarring to the young man with the disheveled hair. Now, it was a bittersweet orchestra, playing a final symphony for him alone.

He nodded a quick farewell to the old man running the second-hand shop as he passed by, the shop owner giving him a warm smile and a wave in response. After a day filled with well-wishes and good-byes, with discussions of future plans on separate paths, this was the most the young man could muster. He hoped it was enough to convey his appreciation.

He took a right at the shop, heading down another alley and taking in a deep breath of the cool air. The smell of detergent and soap from the nearby laundromat and bath house mixed with the aroma of black coffee and curry wafting from a small cafe. The resulting scent, while neither entirely pleasant nor nauseating, was certainly strong, though something he had not made note of in months. Funny, how quickly things had become commonplace.

Funny, how quickly things would change.

And as the young man with the disheveled hair and the rounded glasses made another turn to stand in front of the cafe, his hand brushed against the soft material of the glove he kept in his pocket, a reminder that he had chosen this path. It did not make him feel any better, but it pressed him to take the next step forward.

"Hey, um...I actually have a present for you too."

The voice came from the bag the young man had slung over his shoulder. A child walking by heard the meowing come from the bag and saw the black and white cat now peeking out of it, giggling at the soft sound of the creature and pointing it out to her friend.

The young man looked over his shoulder, a small smile coming to his lips as he watched the cat awkwardly hold out a yellow scarf draped over one of his outstretched paws.

"Even when I was human, I kept holding onto this for some reason. Between a cat, a human, or some kind of vehicle… it's been hard to say for sure who or what I am.

But whatever else I am, I can say without a doubt…I'm your partner."

Taking the scarf from the cat and placing it next to the glove in his pocket, the young man smiled and nodded.

"Partners, then."

And while his face was difficult to read, the young man was sure the cat was beaming back at him. "Good," the cat said, "Because you weren't getting rid of me so easily, even if you declined."

The young man smirked, then turned back to the cafe. His smiled faded as he stared at the awning denoting it as "Leblanc" to visitors, the worn out "Open" sign that he would soon flip to its reverse. "Well then," the cat said, "Have you said your good-byes to everyone?"

"Yes."

_No._

"You sure there isn't someone we missed?"

_There are, yes._

"I'm sure."

The cat paused. "Alright, if you're certain." The young man could hear the skepticism in his companion's voice, but the cat did not press further. "In that case then, we should probably go in and pack."

The young man with the disheveled hair and the rounded glasses nodded, gripping the scarf and glove in his pocket tightly. With his other hand, he reached out for the handle to the door.

"Right."

* * *

The young man stepped into the cafe, taking in the heat and the smell of coffee. They tried their best to rid him of the chill of the world outside. Unfortunately, it was not nearly as effective as it normally was. Even the welcoming smiles of the cafe's owner and the red-haired, bespectacled girl seated at the counter could not truly free him of the feeling that was nagging at him. He managed a smile in return.

"So, you're back," the cafe owner said, "Well, how'd it go? Did it make you feel like you wanna stay?"

The young man eyed the girl at the counter, who looked a bit sheepishly at him and tugged her legs a bit closer to her chest, clearly trying to hide the fact that she was curious to his answer but failing miserably to do so.

He'd miss that.

"It's...hard to say," the young man replied, turning back to the owner of the cafe. The words came up woefully short of properly explaining the young man's feelings on the situation. But, much like the cat, the cafe owner did not press.

"Well, that's fair, I guess," the cafe owner said. "Say I've got-"

"Sorry, but I should probably start packing," the young man interrupted. He didn't have the energy for an extended conversation. He needed some time alone with his thoughts, to absorb the day's events.

"Alright, alright," the cafe owner said, rubbing the back of his head and neck, "But before you do, there's something that I think you should have." He reached into his back pocket and took out a small scrap of paper and extended it in the young man's direction. Taking it, the young man recognized it as a ticket for the batting cages located on a nearby rooftop.

"A ticket to the batting cages?" he asked, a bit confused as to why his guardian was giving him this now.

"Yeah," the cafe owner said, "Someone dropped it off for you."

"Someone...but who-?"

The cafe owner just smirked and shrugged his shoulders. The young man glanced over to the girl at the counter, who, upon seeing his confusion, rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses.

"Seriously?" she said, "I'd expect Skull or that Inari to be this thick, but I had higher hopes for you."

"Why don't you go find out?" the cafe owner said with a laugh. "And as your guardian, I should really tell you not to stay out too late. But seeing as how you always seem to ignore all my orders to stay out of trouble anyhow, well, I have a feeling you won't start listening to me now. So I'll just save us both the time and just remind you that you still have to pack. Whether that gets done or not is entirely up to you, and you'll live with the consequences if you don't."

The young man looked from the cafe owner to the girl and back to the ticket. It was clear that they were not going to share any further information.

There was, he supposed, only one way to find out.

The young man regathered himself and pushed his glasses up his nose. Packing his things would have to wait a little while longer.

"Right," he said, "Leave it to me."

* * *

The young man with disheveled hair and rounded glasses had made his way to the batting cages. The metallic clanging of bats making contact had since died, though that was hardly surprising; the cages, while open well into the evening, were significantly less busy then. He made his way over to the ticket booth, where the attendant, with whom he was on friendly terms with, took his ticket.

"Well, well, well," the attendant said, "I would have never guessed it was you who would be showing up this evening."

The young man eyed the attendant. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

The attendant merely shrugged, feigning innocence. "The place is yours. Good luck in there, kid."

Knowing that he would get no more out of the attendant, the young man nodded and headed back to the cages. The place was completely deserted, the quiet oddly eerie for a space that was usually so deafening. His muscles tensed as he proceeded down the line of cages; a voice in the back of his head whispering that this was a trap. He briefly wondered if he'd always keep that bit of paranoia. It wasn't a bad thing, necessarily. It had certainly kept him alive. But it certainly hadn't existed before he had come to Tokyo.

He was reaching the back end of the cages when he realized that his earlier assessment had been incorrect. While mostly empty, the cages were not completely deserted. A single figure stood in the final compartment, outlined against the fading twilight. The young man could not make out their features, not yet, but the sight of even the darkened silhouette caused him to involuntarily quicken his pace.

She was facing away from him, looking up at the large target up on the far side of the cage, one that would flash and buzz if one managed to strike it with a well hit ball. Her red hair was tied back in its normal ponytail, held back by a crimson ribbon. Despite the location, she wore a pale sweater paired with a high-waisted red skirt. Both ponytail and skirt fluttered wildly as a sudden gust of wind blew through the cage. She clutched her arms closer to her chest to combat the sudden chill.

"Want to borrow my jacket?" the young man said from just outside the cage, already starting to remove it from his own shoulders.

"Oh!" the girl with the ribbon in her hair squeaked as she spun around. Shock was alight in her eyes, her lips still curved in surprise. But both shifted as gazes met and recognition set in.

"Sorry," the young man said quickly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

The girl shook her head. "Oh no, it was my fault. I was just thinking about...well nevermind." She smiled and added, "I'm glad you are here though."

The young man pushed open the door to the cage and entered, holding out his now removed jacket. "The offer still stands."

"U-Um...thank you, but I should be okay," the girl replied, shaking both head and hands. In one hand, she held something; a small, notecard-sized piece of paper that caught his eye as she waved it in her refusal.

"You sure?"

A quick nod of affirmation. "Mhmm."

Another gust of wind rushed by, causing the girl to visibly shiver. He raised an eyebrow and stepped towards her, opening his now removed jacket. The girl's eyes widened as he stopped an arm's length away and draped the coat over her shoulders. He held it there for a second, feeling her tremble from the cold through the material.

"I-I've got it," she said as she took hold of the jacket, hugging it closer to her body. Removing his own grip, the young man took a step back.

"Better?" he asked.

She nodded slightly.

"Good."

"But...I don't want you to get cold either! Plus then you can't really see-" The girl stopped and frowned.

"We'll switch off," the young man said. "Deal?"

"Sure." The girl nodded, but for a moment she still seemed unsatisfied. However, she quickly wiped the expression from her face.

A second passed between them. A loud click sounded as the lights flipped on for the evening, dousing the cage in fluorescent beams. A dog barked in the distance.

"So," the young man started, "I thought you had practice today?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Well...yes, I did," the girl replied, "Technically. But, um...I'm feeling a bit ill, so..."

She trailed off, the embarrassment she felt for having lied to her coach evident.

The young man almost laughed. "I can tell."

The girl shook her head and sighed. "I'm pretty sure Coach Hiraguchi didn't buy it either. Am I really that bad of an actress?"

"Terrible, really."

She put on a frown, though he knew there was no ill will behind it. "Well, you're maybe being a bit _too_ honest…"

"One of us has to be," he said. Then, more seriously, he added, "But, at any rate, I'm glad you're not feeling well."

The girl giggled quietly, her fake frown disappearing.

"Yeah, me too."

The girl with the ribbon in her hair beamed at the boy with the disheveled hair. And for a moment, she managed to dislodge the sinking feeling that had been creeping at the back of his mind, one that he didn't really want to acknowledge and one that he was more than happy to forget about, if only for a moment. Despite being jacketless, he felt warmer than he had all day.

"So," the young man said, eyeing the paper in the girl's hand, "What's that?"

"O-oh, right!" The girl's eyes went down the paper before quickly clutching it to her chest. "I almost forgot about that…" She laughed a bit nervously. "Um, well, it's definitely not as good as Kitagawa-senpai's, obviously. Uh, not that I would have expected to have done as well as him, of course. He's an actual artist. But I think I did alright, all things considered. Or at least I hope so...and I just wanted it to...ummm…"

The girl trailed off a bit, seeming to realize that she had begun to ramble. She took a breath, seemed to recompose herself, and extended the piece of paper towards the young man.

"Th-this is for you!" she said, bowing her head and chest so that he could no longer make out her expression. A bit confused but curious, he took a step towards her and reached out to take the piece of sturdy paper from her. Her grip on it seemed to tighten at his touch, but quickly loosened, allowing him to take and flip the blank card over. And while the normal red and black swirls had been replaced with colorful purple and black flowers and white hand-written calligraphy, there was no mistaking this for what it was.

So the young man with the disheveled hair read the calling card that had been addressed to him.

 _Sir Ren Kurusu_ , it read, _leader of the Phantom Thieves and upholder of your justice, you and your comrades have stolen the hearts of many who would do this world wrong. You have helped so many along the way, including myself, in more ways than one. But you are not the only one who fights for their justice, and I intend to show you just that. I issue you a challenge, a duel for your heart, and I swear I shall steal it._

_Sincerely,_

_Violet_

As he looked up from the card, his eyes fell upon hers, which had been staring at him intently.

"So, now that you've read it," the girl said, her voice just above a whisper, "you know that someone is coming for your treasure. Now that you know, they can steal your heart. That's how it works, right?"

The young man, Ren Kurusu, leader of the now disbanded Phantom Thieves, nodded.

"That's right."

The girl with the ribbon in her hair nodded. She strode past him, heading to the back of the cage and grabbing a bat that had been leaning up against the fencing. She spun it around her body with a graceful flourish before assuming the stance of a fencing duelist, leveling the bat at him like a deadly rapier. "Then, I, Sumire Yoshisawa, officially challenge you to a duel!"

The leader of the Phantom Thieves raised his hands in mock surrender as he eyed the bat aimed at him. "Well, I'm not one to back down from a challenge,"

"Which, I've noticed, usually gets you into a fair bit of trouble," the girl with the ribbon in her hair, Sumire Yoshisawa, said. "Unfortunately."

Ren shrugged. "Maybe."

"You certainly like to live dangerously, don't you, Senpai?"

Sumire took two steps towards him, slow but deliberate. The bat was now leveled directly at his chest, hovering just an inch away from him.

"Not particularly, no." He paused for a moment, looking down at the 'weapon' being held at him before looking back up at her. "But I'll admit, it can be a bit exciting."

He smirked. "Present situation included."

"O-Oh really?" she said, raising the bat so it was now just under his chin, attempting to hide the color that had just rushed to her cheeks. "W-well, you really should try to be more careful. You might worry someone if you continue to be so reckless."

Sumire then pirouetted away from him, spinning with the grace of a professional swordfighter from a film. A firm smile was on her face, something that he wished could stay there permanently. Something that he _could_ have ensured would always remain, had he made different choices.

"So you leave me with no choice!" the girl with the ribbon in her hair exclaimed. "I will steal your heart!"

"Now who is the one who is being reckless..?" Ren raised an eyebrow. "You truly believe that you can beat me?"

"I know I can," Sumire said, a look of determination coming over her face. A determination that he had worried he had stolen from her.

"Alright, then," Ren said, "What are the terms of this duel?"

"Fifteen pitches. We alternate every five pitches. Whoever gets the most hits wins."

"Okay. And what if I win?"

"You won't."

"Hypothetically, then."

"Hypothetically speaking?" She seemed to think for a moment, then looked back at him. "Um...I guess since I made my demands, it's only fair that you make yours."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes..?"

"And it can be anything I desire?"

"Uh-" Sumire looked down at her toes for a moment. "I suppose that's fair."

"Alright," Ren said, nodding. "In that case then…"

He paused, pretending to ponder the infinite choices that were before him. Sumire fidgeted as she awaited his response.

"If you are so confident in your victory, why do you seem so nervous to hear my demands?" Ren said, an eyebrow cocked in amusement.

"I-I'm hardly nervous!" Sumire said, once again lowering the bat like a rapier in his direction. "J-Just get on with it already!"

"Alright, alright," Ren said, "If I win, then you, Sumire Yoshisawa, must-" He paused again, for, of course, dramatic effect. And it certainly did seem to have an effect, of some sort or another.

"C-Come on, stop it...!"

"-must help me pack my things!"

The sound of a car screeching to a halt in the distance filled the silence between them.

"Wh-What? Seriously?"

"Well, they certainly aren't going to pack themselves," Ren said matter-of-factly. "Sojiro made that much apparent."

"Out of-you could literally have-and you-Seriously?"

Ren shrugged. "It's what I want."

Sumire frowned.

"Fine. But it isn't going to matter regardless. Because I've been practicing."

"That's the spirit."

"You won't be so smug after I've won."

"We'll see," Ren said, just noticing how much he had been smiling despite his best efforts.

"Mhmm," Sumire said, trying to maintain her aura of disapproval but ultimately failing. She smiled up at him before turning to head towards the pitching machine controls. "I'll go start the machine then!"

"Alright, sounds good."

He was going to let her go, but as he watched her walk away from him, his coat still snug on her back, her ponytail bouncing with each step, he couldn't help himself as the words continued to tumble out. "Hey, umm-Sumire?"

"Hmm? Wha-?" Sumire started as she spun around, but cut herself off after seeing the serious expression that had fallen over Ren's face.

"I just-uh...thanks. For this," he said, averting his eyes from her gaze and looking around the baseball cage.

When he chanced a glance back at Sumire, her expression was difficult to read. She looked happy at the compliment, but there was also a tinge of concern in her eyes.

"Of course," she said softly. "I'll be right back."


	2. Chapter 2

_**KA-PING!** _

The ball rocketed from the bat, gaining altitude as it accelerated away from the point of contact. It did not get far, smacking into the target and losing much of its momentum before bouncing off and falling back to Earth. The buzzing sound of a successful home run filled the air. Sumire turned her attention from the ball to Ren, who was still in his back swing, holding it for a moment longer before relaxing.

Sumire swallowed, a mixture of awe and frustration probably showing on her face as she marked the final tally under Ren's name. Had he always been this good at baseball? She hadn't thought so, but maybe since there had been something on the line, unlike last time, his competitive spirit had taken over. She wished she could tap into that strength like he could.

"Well...I guess you've won," she said somberly. She knew it was just a silly competition, but the sting of the loss felt much sharper than it should have. The illusions she had placed around its outcome gnawed at her.

"Lucky break, I guess?"

"For fifteen straight pitches? There's no need to be humble around me, Senpai," Sumire said, coming back into the cage and taking the bat from him. "Trust me. I know how great you are."

He rubbed the back of his head and she could tell that he was trying hard to suppress a smile. She supposed she wasn't the best at taking compliments either, so she couldn't judge his reaction too harshly.

"Well," Ren finally said, "you were pretty great too. Much better than the last time we were here."

"Hey, I wasn't that..." Sumire started, getting a bit defensive but soon realizing that she didn't have much ground to stand on. "Well, I suppose that wasn't the best performance I've ever given."

"But I'm glad you remember that day as well. That's...that's kind of why I wanted to come back here today, actually. I was hoping I could show you how much I've grown since then. How important that day was to me. But-"

She sighed, her eyes trailing away to the scorecard she had been keeping.

"-it seems I've still got a ways to go."

Sumire looked back up at Ren, who had been staring intently at her as she had been talking. Not being able to meet his gaze, she averted her eyes to her feet. This wasn't going exactly how she had planned. And now she thought about it, this whole situation seemed rather silly...

"I-I'm sorry if this was a lame idea or if you had better things be doing on your last night here," Sumire said, her thoughts suddenly becoming vocalized. "I just thought that…if we had to say...well, you know, then I wanted to leave you with a good memory that would remind you of...of...umm...well, I just really wanted-and it sounds so stupid when I say it aloud but-I just really wanted to beat you. I wanted to show you how strong I've become. How far you've helped me come. That-that..."

_That you can rely on me as much as I've come to rely on you._

She somehow couldn't say these words, despite how many had just unwillingly come forth. Instead, embarrassment of how much had just been said set in.

"Ugh, this really is lame isn't it? I'm so sorry, I should have done something else, anything else really-"

"Sumi."

Sumire stopped short. She felt a warm hand brush against her cheek and her body instantly froze. His hand drifted down to her chin, where it gently tilted her head up so that their noses nearly touched. He was staring at her with that intense gaze of his, the one that made her feel weak when it was focused only on her. It seemed impossible that she commanded such a gaze. Surely Sumire Yoshisawa didn't deserve a look like that. Surely he must be looking right through her to whatever lay beyond.

_No, don't think like that…_

But it wasn't that easy. She thought she had made progress, but thoughts like these continued to plague her. Maybe that was why she had failed. Why she would continue to fail…

"Don't look away."

Ren's words jerked her from her thoughts, turning her attention back to the face that hovered so close to her own. Her gaze had strayed while her thoughts had run wild, and it was clear that he had noticed.

"Sorry."

It was all she could say.

"No. Don't be."

"But I-"

Ren closed his eyes and shook his head. "Seriously. Don't."

Sumire opened her mouth to protest again, but no words could come forth as Ren leaned forward, pressing his lips gently onto her own. She could feel her body unintentionally tense at the unexpected action, muscles locking as he placed a firm but calming grip on her biceps. But the warmth of his presence soon overtook her initial surprise and she felt herself relax as she closed her eyes and sank into the kiss. Her feelings of self-doubt and worry began to fade as her thoughts started to become fuzzy. He gently pulled her forward, a suggestion she was more than willing to take. She wrapped her arms around him as the distance between them closed, tightly gripping the jacket she had given back to him. She could feel his own hands transfer to her upper back, again pressing her towards him, again allowing herself to follow their lead. A crazy, giddy, overwhelming feeling of elation built in her chest and with nowhere to go, spread to her head and glazed over any thoughts that she may have had. She pressed herself closer, the feeling of his chest against her own only increasing the numbing effects to her entire being. It was an intoxicating rush, one that she hoped would never end.

Eventually, the need for air reached a point where it could no longer be ignored and Sumire had to break her lips away, part of her subconsciously bemoaning the fact that the rest of her body required oxygen to function correctly. She took a quick breath, enough to satisfy her instincts that demanded it, before diving forward once more. However, she did not find her target, her lips only reaching empty air despite her certainty that Ren had been there just a moment ago. The warm, fuzzy feelings that clouded her thoughts subsided enough for her to realize that she needed to open her eyes to reorient herself. When she did so, she saw that Ren had intentionally pulled his head back away from her. New feelings of frustration and confusion pushed out more of the clouding effects, which allowed her to focus on the face that had just been pulled out of reach. There she found a grin that held no hidden pity or jealousy. North of that, behind black rims and non-prescriptive glass, there were dark eyes that conveyed a loving comfort that she wished she could wrap herself in. In fact, the urge to feel that warmth, to lose herself in it, began to take over again, and she closed her eyes again and leaned forward once more.

"Sumi."

The sound of her nickname being uttered stopped her progress immediately. Frustration set in again, against her will, yes, but there all the same, and she opened her eyes. She noticed that his cheeks had become a bit red. She felt the heat rising to her own at this realization.

"Uh...sorry," Ren said, his tone lacking the confidence that it normally carried.

And as her mental capacities began to return to their normal functions, Sumire became distinctly aware of their surroundings. Particularly the fact that they were, though it was deserted, very much in a public place. She instantly loosened her grip on his lower back and leaned back, her face feeling like it had caught fire.

"I-uh...eh hm…" she stuttered, brushing her skirt down absent-mindedly as she took a step back from Ren. "I-I, uh, sort of got carried away a bit there, didn't I?"

"Oh, uh, no!" Ren said quickly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't...well, what I mean to say is…"

Sumire watched him fumble over his words, wondering if she had ever seen him this flustered before. It was endearing, in a way, to see this side of him, but it also made her wonder if something was wrong. Had she actually been going too far with the kiss and made him uncomfortable? Or maybe he still felt awkward about the date she had set up for them? A thousand disparaging thoughts suddenly bombarded her, each scenario worse than the last.

Ren must have noticed, as he suddenly stopped his waffling and said, "Don't worry, it was nothing to do with you. I just...felt like maybe that was a bit too forward of me."

He adjusted his glasses, which had slid down his nose a bit, and began to scratch the back of his head. "I don't want you to think that I was trying to avoid the subject or anything."

Sumire's heart sank a bit lower. "You weren't, were you?"

"No, no! Of course not," Ren said quickly. "Trust me, I wasn't. It was..."

He paused, seemingly trying to come up with the words to explain himself.

"Well, you know me as well as anyone," he continued. "I'm not really one for...words, I guess...and I just thought I could maybe show you instead how I felt, but then I realized that maybe you'd take it as me ignoring the subject and…"

Ren shook his head and laughed. Sumire eyed him with caution, not certain how to take it.

"I have no issues when facing down the prime minister or even a literal god," he said, "But when I'm with you, sometimes I get so nervous I can't even talk straight."

Ren looked over at her, smiling a bit. "That was a bit embarrassing to admit, right?"

Sumire, feeling a sudden relief, couldn't help but laugh at his statement. It was comforting to know that he felt the same way as she did, even if he probably did a better job of dealing with it.

"Maybe a little bit," she conceded, "But that's okay. I understand how you feel."

Ren nodded.

"Well, I guess while I'm talking," he said carefully, "what I've been meaning to say is that...I didn't think I would get to see you at all before I had to go back home, let alone having all of this planned out. So...thank you, Sumire. It was exactly what I needed after...well, I just spent the whole day talking to everyone and..." Again, he seemed lost for words, but she had a feeling as to what he was getting at.

Sumire stepped in close and wrapped her arms around him again, pulling him close and pressing head underneath his chin. It made her so happy to hear all the kind words he had said, but it was clear that something else was bothering him. Now was her chance to help him.

"They mean a lot to you, right?" she said quietly.

She could feel him stiffen slightly at her words, felt his chin bounce against the top of her head as he nodded.

"I-I know I can't fully understand," she continued, "Because obviously all relationships are different. B-but I do know that when I think about...about Kasumi, I still wish that we could continue down the same path together, that she could see me become the great gymnast that I aspire to be and that I could watch and support her in her goals."

"But...it didn't happen that way, and I can't run away from that fact. I've got to keep pushing down my path, getting stronger in my own way. And maybe if our paths somehow cross again, I can show her how far I've come. I'm not holding out any sort of hope for that, but you never know."

Sumire paused. She wiped at her nose. Surely it was just from the cold.

Recomposed, she continued.

"Life is taking you all down your separate paths now, but that doesn't mean that what you've accomplished is gone, and it doesn't mean that your paths won't ever cross again. All it means is that you have to keep pressing down your own path, to keep strengthening yourself, so that when you _do_ get to meet with them again, you can show them how far you've come."

"For me, it can get lonely and seem impossible at times. But I know you are someone who will never back down. You're strong like that."

"But even you might need help from time to time...so I just want you to know...I'd like to be there for you," Sumire said, her voice just above a whisper. "I want you to be able to rely on me whenever you need it. No matter how far apart we might be."

He said nothing and a silence built between them. Though she was holding him, she could almost feel a distance growing. Her grip tightened, maybe uncomfortably so. A bit of self-doubt struck; perhaps that's not what he was looking for anymore...

"B-But I understand if you...if you don't want...I guess we never really talked about anything going forward so..."

"Sumi."

She stopped.

"You know, it seems like you made a pretty bad bargain tonight."

She felt her gut tighten. "What do you mean?"

"We made a bet and, well..." Ren fidgeted slightly. "You never stood to win anything you didn't already have."

Sumire froze.

"O-oh...um..."

"Sorry if it wasn't obvious..."

She struggled to string together words. "It's just...you know, with you leaving and my gymnastics camp and everything I wasn't sure..."

A small laugh came from above her, though she could tell that it had to fight back against choked back emotions to break through.

"Well, you'd better work on your acting skills then."

"My-what?"

"Your acting skills. You'll need to improve them if you are going to play hooky from practice as often as I'm going to want to see you."

Sumire pulled back from Ren's chest, trying her best to appear insulted but likely failing miserably. His gaze was sparked with playful energy.

"Yes," she said, trying to frown, "I've been made well aware that some think them subpar."

"You know, one could take being called a bad liar as a compliment."

"I guess so. But my routine can kind of be seen like acting, at least partially, so I do find it a bit concerning that you find my abilities in that realm to be less than satisfactory."

"Who said I thought that?"

"Um...pretty sure it was you. Like five seconds ago."

"Couldn't have been," he said, "Because I think you're amazing."

There was no glint of ulterior motive in those dark eyes, only a sincerity that she hoped she could match.

"T-thanks," she replied, pushing a strand of hair that had fallen loose back behind her ear. "I think you're pretty amazing too."

"Well, with two such amazing people together, I can't see anyone stopping us."

Sumire beamed at him. She wanted to make this work. Or at very least, it was certainly worth making every effort in trying. "Nope! We've got this. You and me."

"And Morgana. Don't forget Morgana. I don't think I'm ever getting rid of him."

Sumire crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And why would you want to? Morgana-senpai is amazing as well!"

Ren nodded. "Just don't let him hear that. His head's big enough as it is." He paused, and, with a more serious look in his eye, added, "I did mean it though. You are amazing."

Sumire smiled but shook her head. It felt good to hear him say that, but it was still hard to truly believe him. Something to work on.

"Maybe," she replied, "but I've still got work to do. I lost tonight, after all."

"About that...want to know a secret to stealing a Phantom Thief's heart?"

She looked at him curiously. "Okay...?"

"Just take him to a ramen shop or a meat buffet and you're set," Ren said, "It's really that simple."

Sumire laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm not that interested in stealing Sakamoto-senpai's heart, you dork."

"Oh, then who do you want to know about?"

"I think you know…"

"Apparently I do not."

"You really tease me too much, Senpai."

"I don't think that's possible," Ren said, "But Yusuke's a little more complicated so if you are looking to-"

"Ugh, you're really going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

She sighed and shook her head.

"I obviously meant Takamaki-senpai _._ "

"Oh, rea-" Ren started, but clearly that had not been the answer he had been expecting. His eyes went wide for a brief moment before realization set in.

"It appears I've been beaten," he said, chuckling lightly.

Sumire giggled before diving in for an embrace, tucking her head once more under his chin. It was an action that he returned without hesitation.

"Though I suppose I wouldn't mind learning a bit more about the one they called Joker either," Sumire continued. "He was kind of cute."

"Kind of?"

"It's hard to tell with the mask. Though he did pull off the outfit well."

"Hm. Well, I heard he's taken, so I wouldn't get your hopes up."

"Then let me dream."

Ren seemed to tense at the words. But when he spoke, he was as calm as ever. "As long as you don't lose focus on what's in front of you," he said, "I guess there's no harm in dreaming."

* * *

A long silence passed between them, the young man with the disheveled hair and the girl with a ribbon in her hair. They stood stark against the March evening, illuminated by the fluorescent beams of the batting cages against a backdrop of growing darkness. Neither seemed willing to let go, but time pushed forward. They'd soon need to leave, and there were still words to left to be said, so the quiet embrace could not last forever.

"I feel kind of bad about the bet," Ren said, breaking the silence. "But not bad enough to not cash in on it. I'll need the extra hand packing now that I've spent so much time here."

Sumire smiled. Ultimately, she felt she had gotten what she had wanted too. "W-well I guess that worked out well for both of us, in the end."

"Mhmm," Ren agreed. "Though I'd really rather not pack at all."

The girl found herself wishing the same thing.

"What do you think the odds are that Morgana has finished packing for us by the time we get back to Leblanc?" Ren posited.

"Not great."

"What do you think are the odds that he has at least started it?"

"Also not great."

Ren nodded and sighed. "Well, let's give him a little more time then."

He walked over to the back fence and slid down it to sit on the ground, a smile firmly planted on his face. He gestured for her to take a seat next to him and she gladly joined him, fixing her skirt and hugging her knees close to her chest so that she could maintain what little warmth she had left. After she had situated herself, she looked over to Ren, who was fiddling with something in his pocket. He had adopted a more serious expression, clearly pondering something.

"Good-byes aren't great," he said quietly. "But they're certainly better than never getting a chance to say anything at all."

She knew all too well what he meant.

"True," she replied. "I'm glad we got to say good-bye."

"Me too."

She lowered her head onto his shoulder and the two of them looked up into the purple sky.

Tomorrow would bring a new day, and with it, a new path set before each of them. Their futures would be littered with unknown challenges and difficulties that would need to be overcome. But hopefully with the help of their friends and strengthened by the memories of those they hadn't gotten a chance to say good-bye to, they would be able to conquer whatever lay ahead. Hopefully, their paths would cross once more.

But that was for tomorrow.

For now, they were content with just being a boy and a girl, silently enjoying the last moments of twilight together.


End file.
